Tomato Juice
by katBelle
Summary: Naruto is little Sasuke's regular babysitter. But Sasuke isn't a normal child- he has to take medicine for a condition that keeps him awake at night and prevents him from going to school. What starts off as a regular night quickly dissolves into the Twilight Zone. shota. SasuNaru. ItaSai.
1. The Twilight Zone

**2001**

The clock dongs loudly, twice and deeply. Naruto looks up from his textbook surprised. He twists away from the kitchen island and glances at the clock. It's taken him a month to learn to read the damn thing. He was once told gravely and rather condescendingly by a seven year old that it is an astrological clock. Around the outer edge are the twelve zodiac. Constellations dot the center of the clocks face and rotate randomly. Well, not at random, but it's a complex pattern Naruto hasn't bothered to learn. The middle ring has the normal roman numerals for hour and minute. Presently the long iron hand is pointing to an II encircled in navy blue and a sliver of yellow paint. Stretching a hand over his head Naruto yawns and ambles into the living room.

"All right Sasuke," he calls out. "Time for your medicine."

The flat screen is on, tuned into the late showing of The Twilight Zone. The black and white light flashes over the room. At first glance it seems modernly decorated, if expensively so. If it weren't for his nosiness Naruto wouldn't have noticed the oddities about the house, like the fact that the last astrological clock was built over a century ago or the fact that half the books are printed in foreign languages. There are tall windows on the back wall, each covered with flimsy silk that wavers in the night breeze. Through them Naruto glimpses a sliver of a moon hanging in the starred sky.

"Sasuke?"

He finds the couch empty.

"Not again," Naruto moans. "Little demon." But he says it under his breath and with an affectionate smile for his missing charge.

Naruto checks behind the TV stand and the chairs in the room before heading to the next one. He checks the downstairs library, bathroom, a sitting room, and the foyer.

"Sa-suke," he sings to the dark house. "You can't hide forever."

He heads back through the living room, scanning it in case Sasuke is slinking from room to room. As he's passing back into the kitchen a shadow detaches itself from the breakfast nook and flies at Naruto. He has time to turn to it before it tackles him. Naruto tumbles back and ends up on the floor with a dark-haired boy straddling his stomach with thin, pale legs.

"What was that for?" Naruto asks chuckling. Sasuke places his hands against Naruto's chest and pushes him flat to the floor as if he can hold the muscled blonde down. His palms brush against Naruto's nipples, unmindful of the stimulation. It rubs the rough texture of his Henley shirt into the sensitive spots. Naruto ignores it as best he can. The child glares down at his babysitter.

"What are _you_ pouting for, _I'm_ the one on the floor," Naruto says.

"I waited forever. You're slow."

"How long were you there?" Naruto asks.

"Before the clock rang," Sasuke informs him. "But you weren't paying attention."

"Sorry 'bout that. I guess I neglected you huh? You weren't lonely were you?" Naruto teases.

"I wasn't!" Sasuke protests shrilly.

"Then why do you look so happy to see me?"

"I'm not!"

"Sure you're not," Naruto grins. He sits up and lifts Sasuke off of him from the hips.

Sasuke clambers up onto a tall chair at the island as Naruto goes to the fridge. He pulls out a jug of tomato juice from the fridge, a glass from the cabinet, and snags the blue vial of dissolvable pills from beside the sink. He crushes the white pill into powder and stirs it into the tomato juice. The spoon clinks against the glass and Sasuke shifts in his seat. Naruto adds some ice cubes to the mix and hands it off to Sasuke.

Sasuke frowns at it and glances up at Naruto hopefully.

Naruto smiles. "Drink up S'ke."

Sasuke obeys with a disgruntled expression. He tips the glass to his mouth. Beads of cool perspiration slide down the glass surface and pool at the child's fingertips. It slips from between his small hands a half foot above the table. Already watching, Naruto catches it and rights it before it can tip and spill everywhere. His triumphant grin is met with a glare from Sasuke.

Naruto hands it back to him. "Finish it."

"I don't want to," Sasuke mumbles.

"What?"

"I don't want to," he says loudly. He shoves the glass, still mostly full, away. "It's disgusting."

"Come on Sasuke. We do this every time."

"Uh-uh." He shakes his head, his bangs flying back and forth.

"Please?"

"No."

"You can't leave that chair until you drink it."

"_No_," Sasuke whines.

"What do you mean 'no'? That wasn't a question, that's the rule."

Sasuke whines in his throat.

"Sasuke, you hafta take your medicine. You'll get sick if you don't."

"No I won't!" he shrills.

"Come on drink it," Naruto urges.

Sasuke buries his head into his arms and refuses to look up. Naruto sighs at the temper tantrum and goes around to the chair. He picks the child up and slides into the seat, settling Sasuke back onto his lap. Sasuke squirms trying to free himself but Naruto wraps his arm around Sasuke's waist to keep him from sliding away. He grabs the glass with his free hand and draws it closer.

"I don't want it!" Sasuke yells. His feet paddle through the air, kicking back and forth violently. His heel rams into Naruto's shin and he winces.

"Hey, stop it."

"Naruto, don't make me drink it," Sasuke begs. He twists so Naruto can see the tiny tears gleaming in his large dark eyes.

"No puppy eyes. _Drink_."

"I don't-."

Naruto's cell buzzes beside his textbook and Naruto swipes it up. "Stay here and finish that." He gestures to the red juice with his phone before answering. "Hey Sakura." He wanders into the living room because it's his girlfriend and doesn't want anything _adult_ to slip out around Sasuke.

On the phone Sakura is drunk and slips into the emotionally distressed role very quickly. She slurs out some excuses and some tears and breaks up with him for the third time that month. Naruto urges her to go find her friend, walks her through the process, and hangs up, thoroughly tired of their practiced routine.

He stalks back into the kitchen and tosses his cell angrily on to the island. It slams into a bowl of fruit. Sasuke whirls around at the noise. He's in front of the sink on his tiptoes, rinsing out his glass. Naruto smiles tightly and Sasuke turns back to the sink. Somehow Sasuke has managed to turn the faucet on but now that the glass is sitting in the bottom of the sink and overflowing with running water he can't reach the faucet to turn it back off. He hops a couple of times trying to swat the handle down. On the next hop Naruto boosts him up, lifting him from behind. Sasuke pushes the faucet off and Naruto sets him back down.

Sasuke darts away as soon as his feet touch the ground.

"Hey there." Naruto swoops down to grab him and holds him bridal style in front of him. Sasuke wiggles his whole body and Naruto almost drops him before securing a tighter hold under his knees and shoulders. Sasuke's shirt rides up exposing his stomach and the top curve of his hips. Naruto can even see an indent of his ribs. "That's suspicious S'ke. Why were you trying to run away so fast?"

Sasuke growls in his throat and starts to twist his body again. Naruto whirls him around in tight circles until he stops struggling.

"Did you finish all your medicine?" Naruto gives him a stern look.

"Yes."

"Really?" Naruto squints down at him suspiciously.

"Yes." Sasuke is staring up at him earnestly and Naruto believes him. "Lemme down," the boy orders.

"You want down?" Naruto grins mischievously.

Sasuke glares. Naruto swings his small body up and over his shoulder. He holds him there and carries him into the living. Small fists rain down on his back and feet flail through the air. Naruto deposits him on the leather couch. Naruto collapses next to him. Sasuke climbs onto his knees and pushes against Naruto with his scrawny arms. Naruto wraps an arm around him and falls down against the couch cushions, pulling the boy with him. Sasuke scrambles off of him, kicking him in the gut on the way to the other side of the couch. Naruto groans at the onslaught of bony limbs and sits up.

"We need to fatten you up," Naruto says stretching over to poke him in the stomach.

Sasuke frowns and slaps his hand.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asks sombering a bit.

"Nothing." His lower lip comes out.

"Sasuke." Naruto pokes his shoulder.

"What?" Sasuke pouts glumly.

"What's wrong?"

"Who were you talking to?"

"On the phone?"

Sasuke nods.

"That was Sakura."

"Your girlfriend," he says knowingly and darkly.

Naruto shrugs. "Not anymore."

Sasuke looks surprised. "You dumped her?"

Naruto laughs lightly. "Um, no. Not really."

Sasuke shuffles closer. "Are you gonna get her back?"

"Eh." Naruto shrugs half-heartedly.

Sasuke closes the distance between them and nestles into Naruto's arm. "You don't need her," Sasuke tells him.

"Think so?"

"Yes."

Naruto sighs happily. "You're right." He ruffles Sasuke's hair. "Ya know, you're smart. If you could go to school I bet you'd be the top of your class. And you'd have all the girls fawning after you."

"I don't like girls," Sasuke says.

"They're not all bad. Remember when I brought Sakura over here? She said you were really cute."

"She was annoying," Sasuke huffs.

"Yeah, but hey, I was talking to her about your condition 'cause she's studying to be a doctor and all and she got all excited and started talking about finding a cure. Wouldn't that be cool?"

Sasuke gives him a look filled with superiority and condescension but otherwise doesn't bother replying.

"Yep- you're gonna be a lady killer one day," Naruto decides and sighs morosely to the ceiling. "Did you get your chores done yet?"

Sasuke nods.

"Good boy." He slings an arm around Sasuke's shoulders and hugs him tight. "Twilight time?"

Sasuke nods and immediately turns his attention to the TV. A few minutes pass and Naruto hears his phone buzzing in the kitchen. He ignores it but it goes off again and Naruto grudgingly rises from the couch. "Sasuke do you want something to eat?"

"No."

"Are you sure?" Naruto stops at the doorway to ask. "How come you hardly ever eat? You're so skinny."

"You can't cook," Sasuke reminds him bluntly.

"That's not true! I'm an awesome cook!"

"You burnt dinner Thursday," Sasuke points out.

"Haha, yeah, but that was an awesome game of ninja wasn't it?"

"You lost."

"Nu-uh. I totally won!"

"No you didn't."

"Well you cheated."

"No I didn't."

"Sasuke," Naruto whines. "Go watch your show!" He points to the TV and Sasuke rolls his eyes before turning back to it. Naruto goes into the kitchen and checks his phone. Three missed calls and a series of blubbering texts from Sakura. He's unwilling to call but he sends off a quick text saying he understands, et. cetera.

"Sasuke I'm making food," Naruto yells into the living room. "I know you hate meat so should I make you a salad?"

Sasuke ignores him and turns the TV up louder.

Naruto takes two steaks from the fridge and unwraps the brown paper that covers them. "Do you want Ranch or Italian?"

Sasuke whirls around and the remote whips through the doorway making a beeline for Naruto's face. Naruto ducks and it smashes into the counter.

"Make it bloody," Sasuke orders.

Naruto grins and kneels down to fish a pan out. When he turns he jumps.

"Jesus! Stop being so sneaky!"

Sasuke smirks at him from his customary chair at the island. "You're deaf."

"You gave me a heart attack!" Naruto tosses the pan onto the stove and goes into another cupboard for the spices. When he turns back Sasuke is leaning over the countertop sniffing at the steaks. Naruto can see his body sucking in air and his eyes are slitted at the corners. For a moment he's struck by how predatory the boy looks, like a starving wild cat. Sasuke sniffs again and his dark eyes turn on Naruto.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinks and sits back and Naruto's trepidation fades back. "What?"

Naruto eyes him. "I know you like 'em bloody but you can't have 'em raw."

"I wasn't going to."

Naruto doesn't respond. He sets the plastic container of spice in front of Sasuke. "Rub that in." Sasuke's reaching for it when Naruto yells, "Wait! Go wash your hands first." Sasuke rolls his eyes but obeys. After Sasuke is done preparing the meat Naruto throws it in the pan. After only a couple minutes Sasuke whines.

"It's not done yet," Naruto tells him.

"Yes it is. You're ruining it!"

"No, I'm _cooking_ it. I don't want you getting sick."

"I won't!" Sasuke assures him childishly confident.

Naruto levels the spatula at him. "Sit back. Watch a master at work."

Sasuke just whines again, his eyes locked on the sizzling meat.

Naruto slips Sasuke's steak onto a plate as soon as he deems it safe. Sasuke ignores the knife and slides the whole thing to the edge of his plate before forking the steak into his mouth.

Naruto laughs. "Oh god Sasuke. Where'd all your princely manners go?"

Sasuke glares over the steak before ripping some off with his teeth. As he chews it noisily Naruto grabs a napkin. He grabs Sasuke's chin, ignoring the growls emanating from the child, and wipes the grease and bloody juices off. He takes Sasuke's fork and knife and cuts it into small cubes.

"Here," Naruto says handing him the fork. Sasuke wrenches it from his grip and stabs the meat. Naruto heads back to the stove and finishes cooking his own steak. As he's tipping it onto a plate Sasuke starts coughing roughly. Naruto drops the pan down and darts to him, alarmed.

He pats his back but Sasuke shrugs him off. "You okay?" Naruto asks. "You're not choking, right?"

Sasuke coughs into his tiny hand, turning away from Naruto and shaking his head. "Thirsty," Sasuke grates out in a rough, quiet voice.

Naruto grabs him a glass of water and helps him drink, keeping a palm on his back. Sasuke takes a few gulps but then pushes it away. He twists away from Naruto and jumps from the chair.

"Hey, you okay?" Naruto stops his escape and kneels in front of him. "Do you feel sick? Should I call your mother?"

Sasuke shakes his head viciously from side to side and buries his head in Naruto's chest. Naruto strokes his dark head.

"Can we go watch the TV?" Sasuke asks muffled.

"Sure." Naruto's brow is still furrowed with concern but he gently picks Sasuke up and carries him to the couch. Sasuke tucks his head into the side of Naruto's neck and wraps his arm tight around his neck. He doesn't let go or move off him when Naruto sits gently on the couch. Naruto rubs a hand up and down his small back. Every now and then Sasuke will cough again. He muffles them and keeps silent but Naruto can feel his body kick back with the force.

Sasuke's nose nuzzles into his neck and Naruto flinches. Heat is rushing to his ears and throughout his body but he doesn't know if it's just worry or…something else he refuses to acknowledge. Suddenly he's overly conscious of Sasuke's legs wrapped on either side of his waist and the fact that he's sitting right in Naruto's lap. He's unbelievably light but he's warm and his weight is centered right over Naruto's groin. Sasuke's breath hits his neck as the boy mumbles something.

"What was that?" Naruto asks in a hushed voice. The Twilight Zone is still on but it's fading into the background of Naruto's mind. The voices are dim in his consciousness.

"You smell good," Sasuke says into Naruto's ear.

"Uh…"

Sasuke tucks his head down again and Naruto tries to focus on what he _should_ be doing in this situation. Because something is very, very wrong. He flinches noticeably when something wet and hot slides across the skin at the base of his neck.

"Jesus!" Naruto gasps. He shoves the boy away, holding him away at arm's length. Immediately he notices Sasuke's dazed expression. His dark eyes are hazy. They slowly focus onto Naruto's own wide, blue eyes. Sasuke's eyes are dilated. The dark pupil reflects the gold light spilling from the kitchen and the shifting dim white and grey light from the TV. Naruto swallows at the cold disconnected look in the boy's gaze.

"Sasuke? Hey, are you okay? Do you need to go to sleep?"

The boy blinks and his eyes clear minutely. "It's the middle of the day."

"Yeah, but, not really. It's the middle of the night. Um, I guess it's the middle of your day still but," Naruto babbles nervously. "Uh…"

Sasuke's head falls forward and he shudders.

"Hey," Naruto says softly. He hugs him close again, blue eyes filled with worry.

"My stomach feels weird," Sasuke mutters.

"I'm calling your mom," Naruto decides firmly.

"No," Sasuke groans into his neck. "I don't want her."

"Sasuke you-urh," Naruto's words choke off. A pair of small soft lips is moving against his flesh, a feather-light caress up and over his collarbone. Sasuke's hands are on either side of his neck, pressing down on the space before his shoulders. The lips part against his skin and something hard skims the surface. Then there's something sharp and a blossom of pain and Sasuke is biting him. Naruto gulps air, somehow managing to choke on it. Sasuke's teeth dig deeper under his skin. Heat is radiating from the site of the intrusion and coursing through his veins. It isn't just pain- there's arousal and it's headed directly to Naruto's groin. He awkwardly shifts his thighs closer together, panting beneath the boy. The teeth draw back- Naruto can feel them sliding out of the holes, out of his skin. It releases a flood of hot liquid. It tickles his skin as it runs down. The thin river of red disappears into the hem of his shirt, staining the Henley. Sasuke's hands grip his shoulders tighter and his mouth fastens onto the wound. His lips tighten instinctively on the skin, locking in the pool of blood. Naruto shivers. Sasuke moans and the teeth graze his skin again. A flash of pain jolts Naruto. He grabs Sasuke's hair and twists away, freeing his neck.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whines quietly. His blunt fingernails dig into the hollow of Naruto's collarbone.

Naruto can't answer. His throat is dry. His eyes are locked on the streak of blood that runs down Sasuke's chin. Naruto's thoughts are frantic as he searches for something to ground him, _anything_. He tears his gaze from the blood stained lips of the child. He stares at The Twilight Zone and tries to reaffirm his grasp on reality. Oh the irony.

Sasuke however has a different agenda and very little patience for Naruto's inner turmoil. He chomps down on his neck. His teeth bury themselves, seeking out a vein. Sasuke rocks forward and that barest amount of friction sends Naruto's awareness into overdrive. Sasuke's butt rocks back down into his lap. Naruto gasps and arches beneath him, driving the teeth deeper still. He's hard now. Naruto grabs Sasuke's waist and shifts his body to straddle his thigh instead of grinding into his erection. It's little relief to his growing lust for the child.

Sasuke's arm is around his neck, his small body pressed to Naruto's front. He's still sucking at his neck. Naruto can feel the draw of blood. It becomes a pulse of its own. The mouth suctions his vein, the body presses forward, the hips curve and lurch down onto Naruto's thigh. He can feel the small bulge of Sasuke's erection against his leg. Naruto lets his head drop heavily to the back of the couch. He feels dazed, drawn into the surges of Sasuke's body against his.

Cautiously his hands travel beneath the boy's shirt. His fingers slide up his lower back, feeling the feverish skin. They skim over his sides and feather across Sasuke's flat stomach. Sasuke pushes forward against the pressure. His hips are still rolling and jerking, making friction with Naruto's leg. Naruto's hands move to his hips. He guides the boy's movements, slowing them, drawing them out. Sasuke moans in delight when Naruto's leg lifts and presses into his erection, nudging against the bump.

In turn Sasuke's knee presses forward into Naruto's hardness. Naruto gasps at the contact. His mind is racing at the implications of this, wondering how he can be doing this, wondering how it can feel so good, wondering why he can't seem to care enough to stop. Naruto's hand slides from Sasuke's hip to his groin. He rubs it gently as Sasuke jerks against him. The teeth in his neck dig in harder and harder. Sasuke whines when Naruto stops rubbing him and then gasps when Naruto's hand burrows beneath his waistband and fondles him skin on skin. Sasuke's sounds in Naruto's ear send shivers into him. He pushes Sasuke's pants down over his butt and massages the bare flesh there.

Sasuke whimpers and moans into Naruto's neck. All too soon it ends. His mouth detaches. He gasps once and a sound like a cat's whine escapes his blood-wet lips. His hips push against Naruto and his body shudders. Shocked at the realization of what was happening to the boy's body, Naruto can only hold him tightly. Sasuke rubs his head against Naruto's shoulder and small moans escape him as he rides out the pleasure of his first orgasm.

While Sasuke breathes heavily Naruto pulls his pants back up. His neck itches as liquid creeps down his skin.

Sasuke's knee presses into Naruto's erection as he steadies himself in Naruto's lap. He pulls the bottom of Naruto's shirt up over his nipples and before Naruto can voice a protest Sasuke's teeth are diving beneath his skin, just below his heart. It jolts his entire system. There isn't a sensation of pain this time, only cold numbness spreading through his limbs. His eyes grow too heavy to keep open and it's all his lungs can do to keep drawing in slow steady breaths. Distantly and yet everywhere in his body Naruto can feel his heartbeat, and a second foreign echo that flutters faster and faster until the two heartbeats are overlapping. Through a muffling fog he can hear the sounds of a wet tongue lapping up liquid and a series of slurps and light sucks. His body throbs. He has a growing awareness of being hot, too hot. And then the throbbing is receding from his limbs, sinking, and pooling into a concentrated area between his legs. His cock throbs and pulses. A pinprick of feeling returns to the skin under his heart where Sasuke's teeth are retreating. Naruto gasps suddenly as waves of pleasure beat under his skin. He comes, hard, and moans.

The room slowly reorients itself around him. He sits up slowly. Sasuke is still in his lap, straddling him. The boy is panting heavily. His eyes are glowing red. Naruto can see Sasuke's chest expand with air as he sniffs at the air, inhaling Naruto's own scent deeply. The blonde doesn't realize that he is crying until Sasuke brushes a finger across his cheek, smearing a tear. Naruto skims his own fingers across his cheek to feel the moisture.

Sasuke's soaked lips are drifting closer. They brush along the side of Naruto's jaw. Naruto jerks from the contact but Sasuke's mouth catches up. His lips dart forward and brush against Naruto's. The blonde gags at the taste of his own blood and pushes Sasuke away. He swipes his own blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Oh god," he chokes.

Sasuke tries to kiss him again but Naruto holds him back. "Don't," Naruto says harshly.

Sasuke is stricken. Suddenly his dark eyes are overflowing with tears and filled with fear. A sob rips from his chest.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke shoves away from Naruto and scrambles out of his lap to the other side of the couch. Choking sobs wrack through Sasuke's body. Naruto's heart twists; because they aren't a child's fake sobs- they're real and rooted in fear and panic.

"Sasuke, shhh, it's okay." Naruto lays a hand on his arm and, because Sasuke doesn't flinch or push him away, he continues to wrap his arms around the boy. He draws him back into his lap, ignoring the feel of his own wet pants. His gut tightens with self-disgust.

Sasuke sobs into his shirt. He pets the top of Sasuke's head, drawing back his hair from his tearstained cheeks. He cups his cheek in comfort but frowns at the heat of Sasuke's skin.

"Shit," he mutters. Sasuke looks up, surprised at the curse. Naruto tries to smile comfortingly. "Sasuke you have a really high fever."

"I feel fine," Sasuke sniffs.

"You're burning up S'ke."

"But that's…" Sasuke trails off and refuses to look at him.

"What is it?"

"It's normal," Sasuke tells him in a hushed voice.

"Normal? What do you…" Naruto swallows and his fear hikes up a level. "Sasuke, did you take your medicine?"

Sasuke looks away.

"Sasuke, it's alright. I need to know in case you need help. Okay? Did you take it?"

"No," Sasuke says miserably. He looks like he's on the verge of tears again.

"Stay here." Naruto makes him lie down on the couch and folds a blanket around him. He gives him a pat on the head and turns to the kitchen but Sasuke grabs his hand and nips the fingertip of his middle finger. Naruto freezes until he lets go. He rushes to the kitchen. There the clock- fucking star clock- says it's past 4:00 already. Naruto grabs his cell and dials Mikoto.

"Naruto, is something wrong?"

"I forgot to give Sasuke his medicine," Naruto rushes out. "He's got a fever now."

"A fever? That's- oh lord. Naruto, have you been with Sasuke the whole time?"

"Yes."

"And has he…done anything strange?"

"Uh. Yeah," Naruto admits faintly.

"_Stay there_," Mikoto orders. "Try to get him to take his medicine. Double dose."

"Okay," Naruto says weakly and hangs up. He grabs the pills and splashes some tomato juice into a plastic cup.

In the minute he's been gone Sasuke has fallen asleep. Naruto stands over him, struck at the sight, and shudders in fear at the arousal he feels towards the adorable little creature curled up and breathing softly on the couch. The daze he felt before takes hold of him before he shakes his head, trying to clear it.

"Sasuke," he calls softly to the sleeping boy. "Wake up." He sits on the edge of the couch as Sasuke sits up. He sets the cup on the coffee table and shakes out four pills. He crushes them in his palm and dumps the dust into the tomato juice. "You have to drink all of it."

Sasuke wrinkles his nose and turns away from them.

"Come on," Naruto urges. "It'll make you feel better."

Sasuke throws him a disgusted look. "I feel really good."

"You have a fever," Naruto says. "Take this." He holds the cup out to Sasuke but the boy slaps it from his hands. It tumbles to the floor, spilling across the carpet.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelps, surprised at his vehemence. He growls under his breath. He's too afraid for Sasuke to be angry though. He ignores the cup and grabs four more pills.

"Chew these and _swallow_, please Sasuke," Naruto begs.

"I don't need them," Sasuke insists.

"For me Sasuke, please?" Naruto's fingers comb the hair at the base of Sasuke's head. He places a cupped hand, the one with the pills, over Sasuke's mouth and tilts his head back, forcing him to swallow. As soon as he does Naruto releases him.

Sasuke glares. "Happy?"

Naruto smiles. "Very. I'm gonna clean your mess up. Try to-."

Sasuke is coughing loudly. He has a hand to his throat, as if something's choking him from the inside.

"Sasuke!"

"It burns," Sasuke chokes out hoarsely. He erupts into coughs before leaning over the couch and puking. But the only thing that spews from his mouth is blood. Sasuke is crying as he wipes his mouth clean. Naruto folds him onto his lap and holds him tight. Sasuke clings to him, nuzzles his head into Naruto's chest. Naruto rocks him back and forth until he calms and grabs the blue vial. He juggles the bottle awkwardly around Sasuke's body and shakes two out.

"Take these for me won't you?"

"They made me sick."

"Sasuke, you take those every day. That's not what made you sick."

"Yes they are," Sasuke insists.

"He's right," a new voice says.

Naruto's head whips around and his wide eyes land on a tall man, a beautiful man, handsomely dressed in somber colors with a ponytail of long hair.

"His body is rejecting them. He can't take them anymore now that he's had the real stuff."

"What?" Naruto asks. "Who are you?"

Sasuke places his hand on Naruto's cheek. "That's my brother. Itachi."

"Ah. That explains how he got in the house," Naruto mutters.

Itachi strides through the room. His boots step delicately around the pool of blood. His eyes glare at Naruto as he bends over him.

"You have no idea what you've done," Itachi hisses over Sasuke's head before lifting the boy up out of Naruto's lap.

"It's not his fault," Sasuke tells his brother. "He doesn't know."

"Yes, well," Itachi replies tightly. "That's the _first_ thing I'm discussing with our mother when she gets home. That she left you alone with one such as him for this long is beyond ridiculous."

Itachi sets Sasuke down in a chair and kneels in front of him. He peels a glove from his hand and draws a fingernail- painted a deep purple- across his own wrist. Blood beads along the cut. He offers his wrist to Sasuke. Sasuke crinkles his nose.

"I don't want it."

Itachi's brow furrows. "Sasuke," he says cautiously. "I know what it's like the first time. Now that it's awoken you must be dying of thirst. Drink."

"No."

"How much have you taken?" Itachi demands.

"Not much," Sasuke mutters sulkily.

"Sasuke, I need to know. If you've killed anyone we have to clean it up."

Naruto's eyes widen. Sasuke glances in his direction worried and somewhat embarrassed. "I haven't."

"Then why aren't you thirsty?"

"I…I want one of _them_."

"Why?" Itachi asks disgustedly.

"They smell yummy."

"Fine. You, blondie, get over here."

Naruto rises but Sasuke's voice stops him. "No! I don't want him."

Itachi rubs his forehead. "Why not?" he asks irritated.

"I-." Sasuke's eyes dart away from his brother's piercing gaze. "I don't want to hurt him."

Itachi's laugh is sudden and loud. Naruto jumps at the sound. "Foolish little brother. Haven't you realized yet? Your babysitter won't live to see the sun rise."

Before the words even register in Naruto's mind Itachi is somehow behind him. Two hands, one bare, the other still gloved in black leather, grip his biceps and force him forwards toward Sasuke.

Sasuke jumps from the chair.

"Don't touch him!"

"Sasuke, I'm trying to teach you a valuable lesson," Itachi's mockingly patient voice speaks from behind Naruto. Naruto jerks his arms but is held fast. His arms are pulled back behind him, straining his shoulders and a single, impossible strong hand holds his wrists. A gloved index finger draws a line across the front of his neck.

"Nii-san no! He's _mine_."

Itachi chuckles. "Sasuke, Mother has raised you in _their_ world as much as possible, but it's time to learn _our_ ways. Humans aren't possessions- they don't have that privilege. They aren't desirable and they aren't worth fighting your own kind over."

"He is mine!" Sasuke says shrilly. "He's my lēof!"

The word is foreign to Naruto's ears but it's clear Itachi recognizes it and his anger is immediate. There's a sickening crack from Naruto's wrist. He screams and Itachi releases the broken limb, tossing him to the ground viciously.

"Naruto!"

Itachi kneels on his stomach. He looks up at Sasuke to deliver a warning. "Stay back Sasuke. Or your plaything will be irreparably damaged." He turns his attention back to Naruto. His ponytail slips off his shoulder and dangles over Naruto's chest. He pushes Naruto's shirt up.

Naruto's widen at the sight of his own skin. "What is that?" he asks. He looks to Sasuke for an explanation. An eerie pleased smile is playing on the boy's lips. His eyes are locked on the mark on Naruto's side. There are black lines, looping curves and unreadable figures that start over his chest. It streams down over his rib cage and a few loose lines linger over his stomach.

A growl builds in Itachi's chest at the sight of it. His lips curl away from his teeth, making his larger than normal canines all too noticeable. His eyes are glowing red. The growl rips from his throat and he swipes a hand at Naruto's cheek. His nails leave three lines of blood in their wake.

Sasuke tackles his brother as soon as the hand falls. It's a short match. Itachi soon has him pinned against a wall. Itachi bites into his own thumb and as blood streams down it he forces it past bared teeth and into Sasuke's snarling mouth. Naruto can see the boy's pointy canines. Itachi is grinning as he presses his bleeding thumb down on Sasuke's tongue.

That's the last thing Naruto sees before white spots bloom in his vision and something akin to lighting sears his skull. He screams but he isn't aware of it. The pain behind his eyes is spreads quickly. He gags on air, gasping for breath that goes to his lungs like water. His heart thuds painfully and heavily. Pain pricks at the inside of his veins only to be licked up by excruciating fire. There's a dull roar in his ears. He hears an echo of two overlapping heartbeats and then it fades.

Slowly he begins to register sounds around him. He can hear soft sobs somewhere very close. Feeling returns as well. A warm body is pressing up against his side. He thinks he can feel a hand tangled in his hair. His fingers move slowly, feeling the carpet beneath him.

There are voices coming from the kitchen. "No, it's already too late," Itachi is saying. "They are bound lēof. The contract's complete."

"He's too young," Mikoto protests.

"It doesn't matter," Itachi says.

"Oh lord. What will happen with the Hyuugas?"

Itachi laughs harshly. "You'll have to call the engagement off. Obviously."

Mikoto sighs. "How did he even learn to do the contract?"

"I was going to asks you the same thing. You know how smart he is. Yet you've been leaving him here with a_ human_ for the past two years. Didn't you think he'd find things out eventually?"

"I have to feed," Mikoto says.

"Is that all you do?" Itachi asks. His voice is dripping with disgust. "I'm taking Sasuke," Itachi says. "He needs to learn how things really are."

"He's too young," Mikoto says.

"You can't hide him from everyone forever. The sooner he learns the better. Maybe if he has someone to teach him his curiosity won't get him killed."

"You can't take him," Mikoto says stubbornly. "Things don't have to be like that."

"They _are_ like that, no matter how much you close your eyes to your own people's suffering," Itachi hisses.

"He's my son."

"He's my brother. And I won't let him be killed. The Knights could come for him one day."

"What about Naruto?" Mikoto asks quietly.

"I'll take care of him."

"You can't kill him," Mikoto rushes to remind him.

"Oh, I'm all too aware of that," Itachi growls.

Footsteps approach and the hand in Naruto's hair slides to his chest, his heart.

"He's mine." Sasuke's voice is thick from crying but it is steely.

"Sasuke, step away," Itachi commands.

"_No_," the boy says willfully.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispers. His eyes crack open. The light from the kitchen hurts. He squints and seeks out Sasuke.

"Naruto." Sasuke's voice cracks. "Are you okay?"

"'M fine now." He ruffles Sasuke's hair and smiles. It fades form his lips as he shifts his gaze from the beautiful boy to his stoic brother. "I won't tell anyone," he promises. "Just, let me come with you."

"You were listening," Itachi states.

Naruto nods. He sits up slowly, mindful of his aching wrist, and gathers his feet into a cross-legged position. "Let me follow you. I care for him." He smiles to Sasuke. Sasuke smiles back.

"I'm taking him away," Itachi speaks to Naruto. "You won't be coming." He picks Sasuke up and holds him to his chest.

"No!" Sasuke screams. "He's mine! He's supposed to be with me from now on! That's what it said!"

"Tell him goodbye," Itachi says gently.

"No!" Sasuke tries to kick and claw at his brother but Itachi ignores his struggles entirely.

Itachi looks down at Naruto. "For his sake, stay away from our world. You'll only bring him pain if you try to follow. Sasuke, we're leaving."

"No! Naruto!"

"Sasuke stop fighting," Itachi sighs. "We really have to get you new reading material. You are pathetic."

"Let go!"

Itachi tchs and drops him unceremoniously. Sasuke runs to Naruto and clings to him.

"He needs me," Naruto says with confidence.

"No. You are simply a liability." Itachi kneels down in front of them. Naruto eyes him suspiciously and not without some fear. Sasuke growls. Itachi smirks and in a quick strike bites into Naruto's neck. Naruto swallows a hiss of pain as his skin is pierced only to realize Sasuke is screaming. His young voice is filled with pain. Naruto yells and tries to shove the man away but it is of course useless. Itachi takes a long suck of blood and Sasuke passes out. Itachi releases Naruto.

"Do you see?" Itachi asks Naruto. His voice is hoarse, his lips coated in red. "You are nothing but a liability. He will feel this every time you allow someone to feed from you. If someone were to find out about you it would be disastrous. To both of you."

"I understand," Naruto says quietly. He hugs Sasuke close to him one last time before Itachi takes him from Naruto's arms. As they leave, Naruto's gaze is solely on Sasuke. The child is lying in his brother's arms. His hand is curled into a fist at his chest. His eyes are squeezed shut. It's the last time for many years that Naruto will see him.

* * *

**a/n: **this is actually a prologue/companion to another story but at the moment this storyline is complete. still working on the companion story.


	2. Milk

**a/n**: so. i decided to just combine what i was calling the companion story directly into tomato juice. there's obviously a second pairing it revolves around but i also tried to add in some hints of the naruto-sasuke angst as well as some set up for the continuation of that plot. because of that it's a little choppy. frankly writing this story is my guilty pleasure so i'll be rather carefree about updating and creating a smooth plot but i hope you like.

* * *

**2007**

The clock dongs, three times and deeply. It's the same astrological clock but in a place far off. It smells different here. The night wind carries the scent of the sea, of salt, and of wet rock. Sasuke bows to the regal man sitting cross-legged in the parlor of Itachi's house glaring back at the boy. The thirteen-year-old turns sharply on his heel. His feet are bare even in the presence of such high company. He climbs shallow wooden stairs to the third floor of Itachi's house. This is their private quarters.

The stairs open to a largely bare living room. The two outer walls are glass, open now to the night. It affords a view of the sea to the west and, in the daytime, the rocky, green coastline that curves out into the blue waters in the south. At this time of night the coastal city is only a sparkling blur in the inky darkness.

Sasuke passes down a hallway to the right and enters Itachi's room.

"Itachi, there's a Councilor here to see- what are you doing?" Sasuke stands puzzled in the doorway. His older brother is sitting on the floor of his bedroom with an antique cat toy- a wooden fish, its salmon pink paint peeling, attached to a rod with a string. It is swinging in the air tantalizingly above a small cat.

The cat doesn't look like a housecat. It's slightly bigger than one but still has kitten proportions. Rings of stripes decorate its twitching tail. It has a white belly and black paws. The rest of its fur is a mix with grey and it has faint spots hidden in its coat. On its ears are tufts of black fur that come to a point. They too twitch with anticipation. The wooden fish drifts closer to its head and it pounces. Itachi jerks the toy up out of reach and the cat crouches to wait once more.

"Itachi…"

"Yes little brother?" He jerks the fish out of range again and the cat meows, irritated. It stands on unstable legs and careens into the side of Itachi's thigh, head-butting him before tumbling over.

"What the fuck is that? Why do _you_ have it?"

"Language," Itachi admonishes automatically and disinterestedly. "Is he here about the rogue?"

"Probably," Sasuke says. "But he requests your presence specifically," he adds with an unhappy downturn of his mouth.

"A Hyuuga?"

"Yes," Sasuke answers savagely.  
Itachi rises and tosses the toy to Sasuke who catches it one-handed. "Entertain him until I get back. Don't let him out of my room." He passes a hand through Sasuke's hair. "Remember you have slighted them little brother; it's fortunate that for now the most they do is ignore you."

"You stink of cat," Sasuke mutters angrily as Itachi shuts him in. He turns his gaze to the furry animal. The cat returns his gaze with intelligent eyes. Too intelligent. Black lines of fur outline and darken the black eyes of the cat. Sasuke frowns. "What are you?"

The cat meows irritably. It rises from the rug near the bed and trots over to the vampire boy. Its claws click on the wooden floor. It sniffs at Sasuke's bare feet before rising on its back legs and sinking its claws into Sasuke's leg, batting wildly at the toy in his hand. Its paw stops short, out of range from the desirable fish. Sasuke cries out in pain and tries to kick the beast away. The cat's claws are ensnared in his pants and aren't loosening in the slightest. Sasuke growls threateningly in his throat and the cat jumps away. It lands and hisses at Sasuke before disappearing under the bed.

* * *

"Councilor Tokuma," Itachi greets. "It's a pleasure."

"Captain." The Councilor eyes Itachi's clothes critically. The Uchiha is dressed in a distinctly modern human style with an unbuttoned jacket and tie. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"As you like," Itachi replies and takes a seat in front of the Hyuuga.

"You requested authorization to execute a rogue vampire. The Council has denied your request." Tokuma smiles nastily. "May I remind you that your duty as captain of the VPS is to protect _vampires_- not humans. No matter how much you may care for them."

Itachi barely blinks at the dig at Sasuke's unsavory past. "I assure you, my request is for our people. The humans have already named this rogue vampire a serial killer. His method of killing is too revealing and too frequent to be safe. He's already killed at least eleven humans."

Tokuma hums. "But he has not revealed his nature, correct?"

"No."

"And there's no reason to believe he will."

"Humans are neither stupid nor patient. Eventually they will find something. This rogue is an unnecessary risk."

"Yet the Council finds his actions understandable," Tokuma says. "You are allowed to deliver a warning to him and-."

"An empty threat if the Council does not allow additional action," Itachi interrupts. "Is it your habit to bluff without backing their words with strength?"

Tokuma hisses. "Keep your place Uchiha."

"I am not ignorant of my place just as this rogue is not ignorant of the Council's laws. I am captain of the VPS and he a criminal. Therefore I find it my duty to carry out a fitting punishment rather than deliver a meaningless smack on the hand." Itachi's words are quiet and burning.

"I have delivered the Council's decision. See that it's done, Captain," Tokuma says rising.

Itachi rises as well and bows stiffly.

"Councilor." Itachi calls out quietly as the man is about to leave. "It's not the Council's practice to deliver such a verdict in person."

"No," the Councilor says smirking. "It isn't. However it is our desire to keep an eye on those with a history of sympathizing too deeply with humans. Associations with the lower races have caused one too many rifts within our own society. I'm sure the captain of the VPS is all too aware of this."

Itachi bows once more with a politely expressionless face. "My thanks to the Council for their swift decision and personal attention."

"Any time. Captain."

* * *

When Itachi returns to his room he finds Sasuke cursing viciously while licking up blood from four long streaks on his arm. He's sitting cross-legged on Itachi's bed. He glares at his brother's arrival.

"Your monster is under the bed," Sasuke spits. His teeth are elongated, his eyes an angry red.

"What makes you think he's mine?" Itachi inquires mildly.

"Because I hate him! And everything I hate leads back to you."

"That, I very much doubt," Itachi says eyeing the spiral of black that crosses over Sasuke's collarbone. Sasuke doesn't notice the glance however. He's too busy licking up his wounds. Itachi stands by the bed and takes his wrist, drawing his arm closer. He lowers his mouth to a gash and lays his tongue to the blood. Sasuke squirms at the feeling, yet the real protest comes from the new cat.

He attacks from beneath the bed, biting at Itachi's feet. Itachi releases Sasuke and turns his attention to the furry attacker. Itachi crouches down and puts his hand on the cat's head. His teeth are hidden, his claws retracted when Itachi rubs his ears. He purrs happily beneath Itachi's palm.

There's a creak as Sasuke steps off the bed. The cat hisses and Sasuke snaps his teeth at him.

"When are you getting rid of the stray?" Sasuke asks moodily.

"He's not a stray," Itachi says. "You said it correctly earlier. He's mine."

The cat's purrs grow louder, like a thrumming engine. He knocks into Itachi's palm repeatedly until the vampire picks him up gently and places him in his lap. The cat's tail flops over Itachi's leg and beats against his ankle.

"Uck." Sasuke leaves the room as swiftly as he can, confused and maybe a little jealous at his brother's display of affection towards something other than himself. He touches a tendril of the black marking on his collarbone as he closes the door to Itachi's room.

It's been six years since that night. If it weren't for an eternal thirst and ache for blood sweeter than that any Itachi finds for him, Sasuke might think his childhood and time with a blonde human was just a dream. It's for this reason he doesn't mind the spindly black lines that curl up to his collarbone, no matter how other vampires curl their lips at the sight. He's glad the proof of their bond is etched into his skin. It calms him and gives him patience. He doesn't care what Itachi says- he knows he'll see the blonde again. Because even if time is fraying that connection it's still there. Their contract is eternal.

The growing vampire doesn't regret it. Yet.

* * *

"You're not sleeping in my bed until you've bathed properly."

The cat meows a question Itachi can't understand.

"You can sleep elsewhere-not without a bath- but you have to stay in my room. Sasuke is too young for you to wander around without me. He could bite you out of hunger and although my kind doesn't crave your blood like we would a human's, he would probably drain you. So stick close to me until he grows used to you and learns control. The water's ready." Itachi rises from the tiled floor of his bathroom and twists the faucet off. "Come here."

The kitten slinks forward, stomach low to the ground. Itachi picks him up around the belly. The kitten struggles, yowling when Itachi lowers him to the steaming water. The water touches the kitten and he morphs suddenly, splashing water over Itachi's arms and face. His fur recedes into pasty skin and his paws become hands. Itachi wipes his face dry with a towel. He drops it and turns to his new problem.

The kitten has become a young boy. Ears top his head and the tip of a tail swishes over the water's surface. His nose is still furry and flat like a cat's and his cheeks are marked with stripes. His dark eyes stare at Itachi as he shakily tries to escape the tub. Itachi stops him, placing his fingertips to the werecat's bare chest and shoving him back down into the water. When the boy struggles, sloshing water over the sides of the porcelain, Itachi lays a hand on his head and holds him under for a few seconds. When he lets him back up for hair the boy is decidedly more submissive.

Itachi lifts his chin and examines his face. Dark eyes blink water away and stare back at him, watchful but calm. "You haven't learned to morph completely," Itachi comments, releasing him. "Have you learned to speak the human language yet?"

"…yes." The boy's voice is quiet and toneless.

"Where is your mother?"

"I don't know."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"I…did."

Itachi reaches for a bottle of shampoo. He squeezes some out and, kneeling forward over the side of the tub, gently rubs it into the boy's hair. His fingers slide up over furry ears and slick them with soap. "Is there anyone you want to return to?"

"No."

"Good," Itachi says quietly. He manipulates the boy's pliant body into laying back and tilting his head beneath the water. Itachi combs his fingers through the child's short hair, rinsing out the suds, before allowing him to sit back up. "Do you know how to clean yourself?"

"Yes."

Itachi hands him the soap but the boy doesn't move. "Do you know how to clean yourself in this form?" he asks dryly.

The boy shakes his head. Itachi takes back the soap. He pushes the boy upright and rubs suds over his back. He's thin. Itachi can feel his spine and ribs easily. Itachi washes his arms and torso and then wraps the boy's fingers around the bar of soap. "Rub this between your hands to make suds," he orders. "Then clean your legs up to your hips with it."

The child werecat tries but his attempts are pitiable. It's clear he isn't used to this form yet. Itachi rises and rummages through a linen closet for a washcloth. When he comes back to the tub's side he grabs the soap and twirls it around in the wet washcloth. "Stand up," he orders. The boy obeys immediately. Water sluices down his limbs. Itachi pushes his hips to face him. Impersonally he cleans the boy from his belly button down. When the boy doesn't react to the washcloth touching his privates, Itachi chalks it up to werecat culture. It seems modesty is of even less importance to them as it is to vampires. Itachi has him rinse. He rubs a wetted thumb over the boy's face, cleaning his skin and the fur on the ridge of his nose. "Step out," he orders. Just as he towels the boy dry his stomach growls. Itachi frowns. "What do you eat?" he asks.

The werecat looks confused.

"Human food, cat food?" Itachi questions. He doesn't get a response. "Fish?"

The child nods.

"Milk?"

A nod.

"Bread?"

A frown.

"Hm." Itachi wraps the towel around him and goes to his room. The boy pads after him, damp feet slapping on the wooden floor. "Here," Itachi says tossing a shirt to the child. He catches it and spreads it out. Itachi almost groans at his puzzled expression. He yanks the shirt back from the were. "Hold up your arms." Itachi tugs it down over his limbs and head. It falls to his thighs. "Stay here." Itachi goes to Sasuke's room to steal a pair of his shorts. His brother is on his bed reading absorbedly.

"I'm going to the store," Itachi tells him.

Sasuke glances up. "It's late. The sun's already rising."

"Can't be helped."

"Is this about that cat?" Itachi doesn't respond. "Those are mine," he protests as Itachi pulls a pair of shorts from his closet. Itachi grabs a pair of sandals as well.

"Sleep well," Itachi says as he pulls the door shut behind him.

When he returns the werecat is sitting on the floor naked. The shirt is a rumpled pile on the floor. "Put that back on," Itachi frowns. He swipes it up from the floor. "Arms up." The child obeys and allows Itachi to put it back on him but once it is he yanks at the front.

"I…" Words fail the child and he looks up at Itachi looking pitifully sad and helpless.

"You don't like it," Itachi says.

"Like..." the boy murmurs.

"But you have to wear it if you want to stay in this form," Itachi tells him. "As well as these." He holds up the shorts.

"I don't…"

"Want," Itachi says. "You don't want to. But I need to get you food and you can't go out without clothes on. You can't stay here with Sasuke without me. Stand up."

Itachi wrestles the pants on to his legs, letting the boy brace himself with a small hand on Itachi's shoulder. He picks each foot up and slides on the sandals. After he's adequately dressed Itachi stands. "Come along."

As they leave the room Itachi hears a thud. The boy is on his hands and knees. One of his sandals is a yard away from him. Itachi smells the blood before he sees it. The boy half falls to the side, on to his butt, revealing a scraped and bleeding knee.

Itachi kneels and pushes his legs apart. He lifts the injured one and swipes it quickly with his tongue. He winces when the sweet taste hits his tongue and swallows a few times to rid his mouth of it. The broken skin reknits, healing as if the wound was never there.

"You're eyes…red," the child says touching Itachi's cheek.

Itachi jumps up. He grabs the sandal and forces it on to the werecat's foot.

"Don't want, don't want!" the boy cries kicking his feet.

Itachi smiles softly and runs his fingers through the boy's short hair. "I guess I shouldn't have taught you that word, huh? Just wear it for now okay? I'll carry you so you don't trip again." He turns and pats his back. The boy clambers on, locking his ankles around Itachi's waist. "Good boy," Itachi says. He feels a light touch run through his long hair and his smile grows.

* * *

Itachi carries the boy through narrow alleys. The city is modern, but his apartment is in an older section. Here the streets wind up and down cliffs and plaster houses crowd over the square stones of the roads. The sky is light blue. The sun isn't fully risen and the shadows are stagnant in the alleys. A wind rustles through little box gardens and whips at their clothes. Itachi sniffs at it. He feels the were's arms tighten around his neck.

"Can you smell it too?" Itachi asks quietly, turning his cheek to speak over his shoulder.

"Yes."

Itachi changes his direction, quickly darting down an alley to the side. They wind through the city on foot, making their way east where skyscrapers begin to dominate the cityscape. Itachi pauses in the shadow of one atop a parking garage. Daylight is creeping onto the city. Itachi kneels and the werecat slides off his back. He picks the boy up and tucks him into a corner.

"Do you know what that smell was?"

The boy shakes his head.

"It's a dangerous smell, especially around my kind. If you ever notice it you must watch out. That's why I want you to stay here. Okay?"

The werecat gives a short quick nod before his gaze drifts down to the cement beneath him.

Itachi leaps over the side of the parking garage, landing gracefully and setting into a run towards the heavy scent of blood. He's lived long enough that the sun rising above the sea holds little beauty to him and only reminds him of the danger. The sunlight will soon become torturous to his delicate eyes and the water's glare will only worsen it. Yet there's one attribute of the sea he takes simple pleasure in. He revels in the smell. The clean scent of water that even a human city can't saturate with pollution. And it's only more delicious when the cool damp scent is mingled with the allure of coppery blood. Although, in this case, he's sure the scent of blood is a bad sign.

He finds the source a few blocks from the sea. It's a young woman, dead and torn apart. There's a long streak of red as if a heavy animal dragged her limp body through a pool of her own blood. But Itachi can still smell a vampire. He imagines the rogue vampire played with her before she died, tossing her broken body back and forth as he fed in a frenzy. He isn't close anymore, but the kill is somewhat fresh. The kanji _ai_ is drawn messily on her forehead in blood.

Itachi cleans the entire area quickly. Not a trace of blood is left. He dumps the body in the ocean. He can depend on the sharks to erase that evidence. It wouldn't be the first time he's relied on their hunger.

He stops in a corner bakery to purchase bread and milk and finds fresh fish across the street, along with a few other items. He returns to the parking garage pleased with his work only to find the werecat gone. The clothes and sandals are in a pile where he left him. Itachi tucks them into one of the bags and starts to search the area.

When he finds him, Itachi's eyes are squinted against the early morning light. The werecat is in his animal form, scrounging behind a dumpster for breakfast.

"Little one," Itachi calls out.

The kitten jumps at his voice and hisses when he sees him.

"Come here," Itachi demands.

The kitten retreats further behind the dumpster, swinging a clawed paw through the air jerkily.

Itachi hisses softly in frustration. He sets the bags down and settles beside them, sitting cross-legged on the dirty ground. He rustles through one of the bags and extracts a small dish that he bought for the kitten. He sets it on the ground and pours some of the milk into it.

The kitten is quick to peek his furry head out from behind the dumpster. Itachi clicks his tongue encouragingly but the cat ducks away at the sound. So Itachi waits patiently. The cat slowly creeps forward towards the bribe. Itachi shifts impatiently and the werecat scampers away hissing. Itachi withholds a growl.

He creeps closer again and this time Itachi tries to snatch him up as soon as he's within reach. The kitten squeaks and, with an agility that's surprising in such a little fluffball, escapes Itachi's swipe.

The cat's third approach is faster though. And this time the kitten ignores the milk, creeping instead towards Itachi's shoe.

"You're playing, aren't you?" Itachi says with some surprise and confusion.

The kitten's tail flicks. He slinks close to Itachi who holds absolutely still. The cat bats his foot and jumps back. He paws at his shoestring a few more times, jumping at it whenever it flops, before going to the milk and drinking. Itachi waits this time until the dish is drained. Slowly he strokes the kitten's smooth back.

"Did you think I abandoned you?"

The kitten meows earnestly.

"I didn't want you in danger," Itachi tells him.

The kitten pounces his leg playfully.

"Apparently I'm forgiven. Come on, little one, let's get home."

* * *

Itachi is sitting on the floor of his living room, one leg bent above the other. His neck is bent back and he rests his head on the couch cushions. The sound of lapping is coming from the kitten, eating milk a few feet away. Itachi's eyes are resting shut but he opens them when he feels a sharp pinprick of pain at the tip of his finger. A paw pushes against Itachi's hand. The kitten's mouth is open. His rough pink tongue twists against Itachi's finger and small, pointy teeth dents his skin. His striped tail flicks to and fro as he gnaws at Itachi's fingertip.

"Stop that," Itachi admonishes and pushes the cat's head away.

He tumbles over without any resistance. He meows playfully and pounces back at Itachi. They play, pushing and biting, back and forth, until an especially hard push sends the kitten's small body into his bowl of milk. It clanks loudly against the wooden floor and spills an arc of white milk. The kitten gives a pitiful meow as the overturned bowl tangles up his paws. Milk dots his fur, wetting it in odd patches. Itachi lifts him out of the puddle of milk and, before he realizes what he's doing, apologizes and licks his face clean. The kitten meows happily and licks Itachi's cheek in return.

The noise wakes Sasuke. Rumpled and sleepy but curious he drags his bare feet across the wooden floor. The hallway is dark but it lightens as he blearily makes his way to the living room. Afternoon light is sneaking in through the slitted blinds. Sasuke glares at the thin lines it makes on the floor. A yawn takes hold of his jaw. He tries to blink away his sleep haze as he sniffs at the air.

"Sasuke," his brother says quietly. "You should be sleeping."

"I'm hungry." Sasuke's slitted eyes shift to his brother and, more specifically, the droplet of blood that is sliding down his finger. The cat is in his brother's lap. Itachi pets it, unmindful of the small amount of blood on his hand.

"Come here." Itachi beckons him.

Sasuke sits cross-legged next to him. Itachi offers him a wrist but his attention is on his cat. In a flash of irritation Sasuke leans forward and chomps down on his brother's neck.

"_Sasuke_," Itachi hisses. The kitten meows angrily when he's jolted.

Sasuke sucks in blood deeply. It spills over his lips in his haste. Through the pleasure coursing into his body with the blood, Sasuke hears his brother apologizing to the kitten. He bites down harder.

"Sasuke," Itachi says exasperated. "That's enough. We're going hunting tonight."

Sasuke withdraws his teeth. "Tonight?" he asks excitedly.

"Yes," Itachi replies wiping a thumb across Sasuke's chin. "Go back to sleep. Rest up."

"Hn." Ever stubborn, Sasuke curls up on the couch watching Itachi and his new companion. He scrubs at the blood on his chin tiredly with the back of his hand. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"He got hungry."

"He is nocturnal isn't he?" Sasuke asks sleepily.

"Crepuscular I suspect." Itachi strokes the purring kitten. "But he shouldn't have a problem acclimating to a new schedule and for now he has to eat often anyways."

"Hn." They stay quiet for a moment, tired and sleepy. "What's his name?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi's brows crease. "Do you have a name, little one?"

The kitten blinks and yawns.

"A name," Itachi says to the cat. "Like Itachi," he points to himself. "Or Sasuke," he finishes with a gesture.

The cat shakes his head to the side slowly.

"Did he just…?" Sasuke begins to ask.

"Foolish brother," Itachi murmurs. "He's a werecat. Would you like me to name you, little one?"

The kitten meows.

"A werecat? Where'd you get him? I thought they were rare…"

"Relatively," Itachi answers. "It was luck that I happened across him." Itachi is caressing the cat as he speaks.

"Ugh. I'm going back to sleep," Sasuke says rising from the couch.

"Good night brother."

In his lap the kitten has his black eyes fixed on Itachi. The tip of his tail twitches. Itachi rubs beneath his chin. "Sai," he says softly. "I'll call you Sai. For as long as you'd like to be mine."

The kitten purrs happily in approval.

* * *

Itachi wakes just as the sun disappears beneath the ocean. Sai is breathing heavily in his cat form. His furry body is stretched over Itachi's pillow, hogging the feathery cushion. His tail lies across the vampire's neck. Itachi carefully moves the appendage without waking the cat and tugs his long hair that's splayed under the kitten's body. He moves from the bed and ties his hair in a ponytail, then dresses for the hunt and leaves.

Claws click against the floor as he walks down the hallway. He glances down to see Sai trotting at his heels, eager for whatever Itachi is doing.

Sasuke is already waiting for him in the living room. "He's not coming, is he?" he asks.

Itachi shakes his head. "Sai are you hungry?"

The kitten shakes his head.

"Are you sure?" Itachi asks sternly.

Sai meows petulantly.

Itachi shrugs. "I guess you can morph if you get that hungry then. Milk's in the fridge."

"_Meow?"_

"Sasuke and I have to feed. You stay here," Itachi says patting the kitten on his head. Sai pounces on the hand and gnaws at it with his sharp baby teeth.

"Come on," Sasuke whines. "I'm hungry."

Itachi shakes Sai off. He tumbles down the stairs after the two brothers as they leave. Itachi picks him up around the belly and carries him back upstairs, scolding him lightly. "Stay," he orders as he sets the cat down on his feet. "You can't go into the office or guest bedrooms on the second floor," Itachi explains. "We don't want you getting into mischief or vampire business."

"_Meow."_

"Itachi, hurry up!" Sasuke calls from the first level.

"I'll be back soon," Itachi promises. This time Itachi skims down the stairs quicker and pretends to not hear the clumsy thumping that follows behind him. He doesn't have any real inclination to discipline the little kitten at the moment. He ignores the soft meow when he closes the door tightly behind him.

* * *

An hour later finds the two vampire brothers near the beaches. Wind blows sand over the multilaned roads and bike paths that follow the curving coast. The clubs are scattered throughout the district, pumping bass into the black night.

Itachi watches as Sasuke takes his first snack of the night. He's been training his brother for the past few years, teaching him to act and think as a true vampire. Itachi knows his brother fakes acting like a true hunter. In truth his young brother is too emotional. He connects with his meals too easily, perhaps seeing some shared emotion with the lonely and lost peoples. But he is skilled nonetheless. Vampire child who switch to human blood too early often run into trouble when their hunting prowess fail them. Their bodies reject the synthetic blood and become weak. Itachi taught Sasuke to care for himself within a year. The vampire child is capable and so far his hunger and urge to please his elder brother made him willing and very eager to drink from the humans. When Itachi sees him feast so hungrily he wonders if Sasuke even remembers the contract with the blonde human. He wonders if Sasuke realizes how much pain the blonde is in somewhere across the ocean. But he doesn't remind his brother. It's good to see him drink strongly. His mouth is locked onto a teenager's neck; his fingers cord through his blonde hair. Itachi frowns. Golden hair has been a trend in his little brother's victims lately. Itachi is still wondering about the implications of that when Sasuke releases the teen and leaves him with plenty of blood to join his brother.

"You are full?" Itachi asks.

Sasuke nods.

"Good. Come on."

* * *

Sai paces back and forth in the living room, claws clicking against the floor. A breeze drifts through the open window, ruffling his thick fur. He springs onto the couch and then to the open window from there. The city is glowing below. It's quiet for a city. Itachi's home is high above it and the sound doesn't travel here. It looks peaceful from so far away.

The window is only cracked but Sai shoves a paw through the gap. His paw bats back and forth into the open air furiously. Slowly the glass creaks open. Sai shoves his head through and wiggles his shoulders to push it open fully. Below are balconies from the second level. The terraces are overflowing with trailing flowers. Sai leaps down, landing gracefully near a tangle of thorny roses.

He pads around the flowers and squeezes through the cast iron railing to drop to the road below. He sniffs at the air and turns to trot down into the city with a very specific destination- _Itachi_.

* * *

Gaara is holding her against the wall. A minute ago she was kicking at him wildly with her strappy heels but now her feet dangle limply. The fight went out of her with her blood. The dark liquid is splatter at their feet, over her pale skin, and tight dress that makes a stiff noise whenever he shifts her body. She's still alive- her eyes are still fearful even if her body is draining of life.

Her taste is almost sickening. It's too much and not enough, never enough. Gaara could gorge himself on these whorish, mindless humans every night and it would never be enough. It doesn't satisfy and leaves him acutely aware of the purposeless nature of life. If he had a reason, some goal, some person to live for- but he doesn't. He's alone and lives only to kill and drink in blood.

"Release the human," a clear male voice orders.

Gaara's teeth rip from her. He drops her and turns. There are two of them. Vampires, like him. The scent of the human's blood is covering up their scent but he can tell. They way they hold themselves, their beauty. Their bloodlust. There's a longhaired one and a younger one, perhaps a couple years younger than Gaara. The younger one's eyes are glowing a bright red.

"Who are you that you're bold enough to hunt in the city of the VPS headquarters?" the elder asks. "Are you aware of your trespasses or are you so far gone to be uncaring of our laws?"

"I've done nothing wrong," Gaara replies blankly.

"Your theatrics in hunting are excessive and unneeded. You're drawing the attention of humans and that is wrong. We're here to deliver a warning to you. Move on and limit your exposure."

Gaara sniffs at the air. Something's out there, beneath the scent of human and vampire and sea. His red eyes slide passed the pair of vampires, seeking out the source of the new scent in the shadows. He finds the furry form perched on the top of a stone wall. It's a cat, staring back at him intently. But it doesn't smell like an ordinary cat. "You warn me away from your territory yet allow the were to reside here?" Gaara asks disgustedly. "You must be weak."

He watches the longhaired vampire's eyes open wider with surprise. He turns immediately to the were until shifting back and locking on Gaara.

"We are under truce with the were, just as we are required to keep an equilibrium with the humans, as designated by the Council and Knights."

Gaara shifts on his feet. The laws of the Council have never interfered with him before and he's never laid eyes on the mysterious Knights. He doesn't care for either party, but this vampire in front of him defending and upholding the laws of so many invisible people- it's annoying. This endless existence of feeding and loneliness is tiring him. When he attacks he goes directly for the werecat, wondering if the vampires will actually have the gull to interfere. He's never tried were blood before.

Itachi sees the rogue vampire going for Sai. He leaps between the two of them- or rather between the rogue and where Sai _was_. The rogue veers from his path and darts away. Itachi hears a hiss and realizes that his kitten is still in danger. He must have spooked and leapt down from the wall- the rogue is almost to the werecat. Itachi snarls and lunges at the vampire. His eyes are brilliant red with rage. He hits the rogue in the side and his momentum throws the redhead into a wall. The wall cracks. Sai scampers passed him, darting to attack the rogue who would dare to threaten _his_ Itachi.

"Sai!" Itachi lunges for the kitten. He catches him around the neck and tosses him back behind him as gently as his rushing adrenaline allows. When he turns to the rogue, already rising from the debris of the wall, he finds the problem already taken care of.

Sasuke is grinning like mad at the vampire. The rogue is coated in white dust. Small bits of concrete fall from his red hair. He looks even wilder than Sasuke, eyes red and fangs elongated. The rogue moves to attack Sasuke but the younger vampire darts in close very quickly. He kicks him in his chest and sends him reeling back into the damaged wall. The redhead recovers quickly and leaps at Sasuke, pushing off the wall.

They tumble to the ground. Sasuke dodges a bite and grabs the rogue's arm, yanking it up as far as it goes. He levers the rogue off of him with a bent leg and flips to pin him to the ground. Something snaps in the rogue's arm, still held captive at an unnatural angle by Sasuke.

"Leave this city or accept your death," Sasuke snarls. The redhead calms beneath him. He stares at Sasuke balefully but does not fight.

"Sasuke," Itachi calls out to him. Sasuke looks up to see his brother give a brief shake of his head.

Sasuke makes a face and releases the rogue, cautiously rising to his feet, eyes locked on the enemy.

Gaara rises slowly. His arm is throbbing. It's broken, he's sure. "I've never seen an officer of the VPS defend a were," he states.

"We have a truce with them and humans," Sasuke growls. "Both of which you broke. You deserve worse."

"You like them too much," Gaara observes neutrally.

"_Leave_," Sasuke orders.

Gaara shrugs dispassionately. This city is nothing to him. There are others. With no home, every city is the same to him. This one had, at least, been entertaining. He can't help but think that the young VPS officer is interesting as he goes. He smells delicious as well. Gaara breathes in the scents of the were and the sweet smelling vampires. An interesting combination indeed.

Sasuke watches him fade into the night. He turns to see his brother crouched in front of the rogue's victim. She's still breathing shallowly but her skin is deathly pale. Itachi is laying a hand on her neck.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke demands.

Itachi doesn't look at him. His dark purple fingernails slice into the woman's skin and slash her throat. She gasps once, blood squeezing slowly through the gap in her neck, and dies. Her eyes stay fixed. "A mercy stroke," Itachi replies rising to his feet. "She would not have survived."

Itachi flinches when he sees Sai. The little kitten is shivering, with his belly close to the ground. He's watching Itachi wide-eyed.

He saw him kill the human.

Itachi freezes. He doesn't want to scare him by approaching.

"Go to him," Sasuke hisses violently.

"What?"

"He's young and he needs you," Sasuke snaps. "Don't hesitate to comfort him, idiot."

Itachi considers if he should believe his younger brother. What does he know of werecats? But when it comes down to it, Itachi doesn't know much about Sai either. He takes a step towards the quivering cat and raises a hand to him. Sai's muscles bunch tighter. Itachi takes one more step and kneels. "Sai."

The kitten rushes to him and curls against him. His body is hot and shivering violently. Itachi picks him up, tucking him in the bend of his arm.

"Told you," Sasuke mutters. He glances towards the dead woman and shoves his hands into his pockets, frowning unhappily.

"Let's go," Itachi says. "And don't call me an idiot again."

"I won't," Sasuke replies. "Unless you need it."

* * *

The next evening Sasuke rises as the sun sets. He stretches an arm above his head only to abruptly drop it as he enters the living room. "Isn't he a little young for you?" he asks bluntly. "And didn't you just feed last night?"

His brother is on the couch with a young boy in his lap. The boy is wearing only a long shirt that falls to his thin thighs. One of his small, pale hands steadies himself on Itachi's bare chest. The other is entwined in Itachi's long, loose hair.

Itachi barely spares a glance for his brother. "Use your head for once Sasuke."

"You have a half-dressed minor on your lap, caressing your hair, in our private quarters, and you aren't wearing a shirt. I knew you were a sick sadistic bastard but this adds criminal to the description."

"Don't insult me. I'm not like your precious humans." Itachi removes the child's hand from his hair and lifts him off his lap. "Breakfast time Sai."

The child trots to their kitchen, open to the living room. Itachi had converted the unnecessary kitchen to a miniature greenhouse years ago. The counters are covered with exotic plants that had caught Itachi's curiosity and the glass-doored cupboards are filled with books and trinkets rather than food. However, because of the new kitten a shiny fridge is now installed and the stove is at least cleared off.

The boy opens the fridge and belatedly Sasuke notices the stub of a tail and ears the boy sports.

"Why is he in this form?"

"He says he wants to practice," Itachi informs Sasuke. He gets up from the couch and enters the kitchen to help Sai reach a cup. He lifts the child up to the cupboard and somehow the action sparks in Sasuke a pained sadness. Suddenly he can't stand the little werecat. The scent of his blood is bad enough but to see his brother interact like that, like Sasuke himself used to interact with-

He's launching himself towards the werecat before he realizes he's gone feral. Sai gives a violent squeak as Itachi throws the boy behind him. He catches his brother by slinging an arm across his chest. He slides his foot around Sasuke's legs and pulls, taking his legs out from under him. The young vampire crashes to the floor and Itachi kneels on him.

"Calm down Sasuke."

A growl rips from Sasuke's mouth but Itachi holds him still until the noise trails away from his quivering lips and the red fades from his eyes.

"Finished?" Itachi inquires.

Sasuke nods shamefaced.

"Sasuke look at me. _Now_," he orders when Sasuke refuses to meet his stern gaze. His brother meets his eye fearfully. "Sai is going to live here from now on. If you hurt him you answer to me. _Get control_."

"I'm sorry," Sasuke mutters.

"That's it?"

"It won't happen again."

"It had better not." Itachi lets him free. He goes to Sai and picks the watchful werecat up. He carries him on his hip to the kitchen table. The overly shirt stretches between the child's spread legs. His fingers immediately pet Itachi's hair but the vampire removes his small hand once Sai is seated.

Sasuke would leave but frankly he's curious about the little werecat that Itachi decided to keep, apparently for a while. He edges towards the kitchen table and sits down. Sai doesn't spare him a glance. His black cat eyes are fixed on the milk carton in Itachi's hand. Or maybe just Itachi.

"Why don't you choose this form more often?" Sasuke asks, curious.

Sai's head swishes, unsure whether to focus on Sasuke or where Itachi is. He settles on Itachi but answers nonetheless. "Hurts."

"It hurts to morph?"

Sai nods.

"That's because he's young," Itachi says. He sets the cup of milk with a bent straw in front of Sai. "Once he's grown the pain should stop."

Sai holds the straw with one hand and lowers his lips to suck it. His other hand rises and tangles into Itachi's hair that's so conveniently dangling within reach.

"Do you know a lot about them?" Sasuke asks his brother.

"Just common knowledge. There's not much literature on them because they're so elusive. And what research we do have wasn't gotten in…their natural habitats."

"Hm. Is that why he's here? To observe him?"

"…no."

"If it hurts," Sasuke begins, turning back to the original topic and to Sai, "Why are you changed today?"

The straw slurps dry and Sai releases it. "Fingers…like." To demonstrate his meaning the boy tugs lightly on Itachi's hair. Itachi allows it patiently.

"Wait," Sasuke laughs lightly. "Sai, did you change forms just so you could touch him easier?"

Sai's eyes flick to Itachi and where his fingers are still entangled his glossy black hair.

"Don't tease him," Itachi says lightly turning away from them.

Only Sasuke sees the small and very pleased smile on Sai's lips.


End file.
